Gmail (Google Apps) on MediaTemple - Instructions

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Well the first thing you need to realize is that your MX records and CNAME must be changed where your domain name is hosted, not where it's registered. If you try to change the records at your registrar, you will either be told that the domain is not hosted there (GoDaddy), or you won't be told any useful information (Yahoo) and edit the records but see no effect.

So if you're on to this post you are probably already aware that you need to change your records in MediaTemple. MediaTemple itself has no instructions specifically for configuring your DNS settings to use Google Apps for organizations, including Gmail for organizations. There is a good tutorial here, but it doesn't cover CNAME. Google itself has instructions for every service except MediaTemple, it seems.

So basically the instructions are:

- go to the management page for the domain you're concerned with- find DNS ZONE and click to edit it- delete any existing MX records- type in new records as you see them below:

That's right. The priority number followed by space and then the server address followed by a period. The fields on the left should all simply say the name of your domain name: example.com, for example.

You can enter the CNAME address at the same time if you want to use this validation method for using Google apps. In the field on the left, enter the text that google gives you appended with your domain name. It will look something like google1kjs90102.yourdomainname.com

In the field on the right simply enter google.com

Give it a day for the DNS changes to propagate and then test it by logging into your Google apps account. If it failed to validate using the CNAME, it will say so. If it failed to find your MX records or needs more time, it will say so.

Otherwise everything is well and you can start sending and receiving email!